FPFA Monthly Insights - No Free Lunch (May 2026)
Geoff is giving me the wheel for this month’s newsletter. Over the past couple of months at Front Porch Financial, he and I have started to notice several shared workplace tendencies. One of the most consistent is our preference for bringing our own lunches, or as Geoff calls it "brown bagging," rather than eating out. This can mean the office smells like whatever we packed that day (some good, some questionable), but it’s a thrifty habit we both enjoy and bond over.
Imagine for a moment that we weren’t brown baggers. Let’s say we started each morning with a breakfast sandwich and coffee from one of our favorite Charlotte spots, Rhino Market, for $8. After a busy morning of client meetings, financial planning conversations, and catching up on market activity, we then decide to grab a $13 salad from Chopt to refuel. That’s $21 spent on food for the day. Over a year, that daily $21 equates to $5,460 ($21 × 5 workdays × 52 weeks). Or, $7,800 if you assume you are spending your hard-earned income and it is taxed at 30%.
Now let’s consider this: what if we invested that same $21 instead of spending it on takeout? If you invested $21 each trading day into the S&P 500 starting 1/2/2001, by 12/31/2025 you would have contributed a total of about $132K and that investment would have grown to roughly $620K. You will see in the chart below that the first 10-11 years would have felt like ‘saving’ and you would have been on the losing end in 2008. However, with steady investment and compounding your money would really be working for you starting in 2013 (see further assumptions below).
Of course, this scenario doesn't factor in the convenience or enjoyment of eating out. It is illustrative though. The real takeaway is how small everyday decisions quietly shape our long‑term outcomes. Big goals can feel overwhelming and it’s often hard to picture how they’ll materialize. But the long-term impact can be extraordinary when we make small and consistent choices that align with our aspirations. This isn’t meant to guilt you out of grabbing a takeout breakfast or lunch. It’s simply a reminder to consider how our daily habits support, or distract from, the future we want financially and otherwise.
As we head into summer, Geoff and I are focusing on strengthening the habits that help us serve you in our best capacity. We have several initiatives that we will share with you in June. In the meantime, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on the daily choices that move you closer to your own goals and reach out to discuss any financial planning matters on your mind.
Assumptions for Hypothetical: $21 invested on roughly 252 trading days per year for 25 years; daily compounding using the actual daily returns; dividends reinvested; no taxation, no inflator on the assumed $21 for daily meals; S&P 500 index.
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Front Porch Financial Advisory distributes its ‘FPFA Monthly Insight’ to clients and participants in the retirement plans it advises with the intent of providing information that may be relevant to a broad audience. The content is gathered from various industry resources such as money managers, licensing and education providers, and professionals in fields tangent to wealth management. This material is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, tax, business, or any other advice. This information is not a substitute for such professional advice or services. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect you or your personal finances, you should consult a qualified professional advisor.
